Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#11

Post by Broken_Hippo » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 4:54 PM UTC

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #7

20161112 wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds pretty good. But I do love my grains and legumes.

Some of the restrictions in Whole 30 are silly, but for most programs like this, the main point is that the restrictions force you to change your habits. The details of the allowed and forbidden foods are almost irrelevant as long as the resulting diet is complete and balanced. I bet you could run this program with whole wheat (actually eating the wheat berries, not bread/pasta) and lower-starch legumes (again, eaten…

"The main point is that the restrictions force you to change your habits."

And this is really the main key with diets and healthy eating. You gotta change your habits.

But in that respect, you could do similar things without the restrictions: Simply work on changing the habits without eating more. Take a while to focus on cutting out most sweetened beverages: Some time to eat more veggies, more grains, adjust your eating to reflect when you are hungry, and so on.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#12

Post by _raoulcousins » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 4:54 PM UTC

adictator wrote: post #9

For the last two years I have been doing well formed pull-ups almost everyday. I could not do a single pull-up on Dec 31, 2014. Today I can do 5 perfect formed pull-ups.

Did you start with negatives, or how did you build up to them?

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#13

Post by Broken_Hippo » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:01 PM UTC

Some years ago I started drawing or painting every day. 15 minutes some days, hours on others. I've always done artwork, but never quite been this prolific. It wasn't really a formal thing to begin with, just something I started doing one day.

And am quite happy with the results.

My art improved and is probably more creative. Not only that, but I started taking more risks and moving out of my comfort zone. Some days, I just don't know what to draw when I'm staring at the paper - like writers block. But I make a few lines anyway and see what I can build from there.

I don't know if I'm surprised at results or not, just pleased.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#14

Post by selmat » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:05 PM UTC

From my experience .... for example daily writing improved my thinking and articulating ideas and thoughts.

Also design and making hardware staff with wood and steel improved my imagination and thinking about how things works.

You don't see overnight success...but if you compare your outcome from three of eight years ago you will see amazing difference in quality.

How long it take? It depends on area. Something can be mastered within hours, something within years. Do you know 10,000 hour rule? It is exactly what you are looking for.

So, answer is yes...practice makes perfect.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#15

Post by sigi45 » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:19 PM UTC

lowglow wrote: post #10

I make it a habit to program everyday. At least one git commit. Jerry Seinfeld was famous for using his Calendaring system of marking an X for everyday he committed to his challenge. "Don't break the chain!"

That's actually not true. You can google it for yourself about it but it is a 'myth'

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#16

Post by bmay » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:28 PM UTC

adictator wrote: post #9

For the last two years I have been doing well formed pull-ups almost everyday. I could not do a single pull-up on Dec 31, 2014. Today I can do 5 perfect formed pull-ups.

That's a good accomplishment. Also, unsolicited anecdote here, but barbell rows helped my pull-up max more than pull-ups themselves ever did.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#17

Post by ludicast » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:38 PM UTC

For the past year, I have done a little bit of arithmetic with my son every day. Mostly from the Kumon series of books.

It's been a great activity to both spend time together and give him a handle on something most kids fear. I don't push him too hard but I am absolutely consistent here. We do a few add/sub/mul questions every day, and even though he gets to pick the number of questions, I pick that they are asked and eventually answered.

I don't want to humblebrag about how he's doing, but this was the best choice I could have made as a parent.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#18

Post by Raed667 » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:44 PM UTC

I have started this yesterday : 30 Day Vanilla JS Coding Challenge [0]. Learning vanilla JS with some pretty cool projects.

I have also had a lot of free time lately so I have tried to build a few small things: simple web applications, IoT, crytpo experiments, hybrid mobile apps...

It is useful to keep busy...

[0] https://javascript30.com/

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#19

Post by edanm » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:52 PM UTC

ludicast wrote: post #17

For the past year, I have done a little bit of arithmetic with my son every day. Mostly from the Kumon series of books. It's been a great activity to both spend time together and give him a handle on something most kids fear. I don't push him too hard but I am absolutely consistent here. We do a few add/sub/mul questions every day, and even though he gets to pick the number of questions, I pick that they are asked an…

As a new father, I'd love to hear any more details that you're willing to share. What age did you start, etc.

Re: Ask HN: What is your experience with 'doing something' daily challenges?

#20

Post by senorjazz » Sat, Dec 10, 2016, 5:53 PM UTC

ludicast wrote: post #17

For the past year, I have done a little bit of arithmetic with my son every day. Mostly from the Kumon series of books. It's been a great activity to both spend time together and give him a handle on something most kids fear. I don't push him too hard but I am absolutely consistent here. We do a few add/sub/mul questions every day, and even though he gets to pick the number of questions, I pick that they are asked an…

>I don't want to humblebrag about how he's doing, but this was the best choice I could have made as a parent.

How old is he? Maybe he would just prefer to go round around with you outside? Throw / kick a ball around, just go for a walk